


With You I'm Mesmorised

by coupe_de_foudre



Series: Soulmate AU [1]
Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Soulmates, Temporarily Unrequited Love, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:00:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22603621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupe_de_foudre/pseuds/coupe_de_foudre
Summary: In a world where your own name reveals your soulmate, it’s only understandable that most people are weary.Andy isn’t too bothered. He figures that if he ever does cross paths with his soulmate, he can decide how to proceed then.
Relationships: Andrew A. "Ack-Ack" Haldane/Edward "Hillbilly" Jones
Series: Soulmate AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626454
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	With You I'm Mesmorised

**Author's Note:**

> So, for the sake of the AU, can we just pretend that Andy and Eddie counts as their 'real' names? Okay, thanks xD
> 
> I've had this Soulmate AU in my notes since October (there's also plans for a Sledgefu one in there) and I'm so relieved to finally manage to get it written.
> 
> Title from Game Of Luv by Luciiid (because it's such an andyeddie song)
> 
> Happy reading, folks <3

In a world where your own name reveals your soulmate, it’s only understandable that most people are weary. It’s not unheard of for people to avoid using someone’s name completely, or perhaps never telling anyone their real name, because if nobody can say your name you’ll never find your soulmate – and some people would rather not. It’s an old tradition by now and many people decide that their soulmate is just platonic. A growing number of the population prefer to choose the love of their life for themselves. 

Andy isn’t too bothered. He figures that if he ever does cross paths with his soulmate, he can decide how to proceed then. 

He knows many men serving alongside him that have already met their soulmates. Knows men that are still waiting. He also knows a lot of men are scared that they may end up finding their soulmate here; there’s a lot of people around and they’re all from different states so the chances are increased compared to walking to your local shops. This results in nicknames being quickly established to avoid calling someone by their name.

Eddie, his new lieutenant, apparently either wasn’t informed of this habit or simply doesn’t choose to follow it. Andy finds that out one morning, being awoken from a slumber (finally able to relax slightly whilst they’re stationed in Melbourne), to find his lieutenant standing near his cot and smiling.

“Mornin' Andy, ready for target training with the newbies?” he says in that endearing southern drawl that earned him his nickname. He’s already throwing Andy some clothes and gathering what equipment they might need for the day, totally oblivious to the stunned silence Andy has fallen into.

It’s unlike anything Andy has ever experienced before; a warmth spreads deep through his chest, skin prickled and little jolts rushing through his body. His mind goes numb, replaying his own name again and again and _fuck_. His eyes are trained on Eddie, unable to look away even for a second, and it feels as though his heart is swelling to twice it’s size. But all Andy can do is smile. Bliss. That’s all he feels.

_Eddie is his soulmate?_

He figures he shouldn’t be surprised by it, really. Drawn to the man before he’d even held much of a conversation with him, demanding he be put in his company alongside him. Andy wasn’t one to act irrationally, and he wonders now why he didn’t question his previous actions because it’s so obvious now! 

“Andy?” Eddie’s asking, standing right in front of him now and Andy really has to tilt his head up because he’s currently within eye-line of something he’d rather not think about right now. “Y'alright there?”

“Huh?” Andy shakes his head as though it’ll somehow clear his racing thoughts. It doesn’t, but he does manage to string together a sentence at least. “Yeah, sorry. I’ll be out in a moment. Get the boys doing warm-ups or something?”

“Sure thing, Captain.” Eddie nods and exits the tent as quietly as he’d entered.

Getting himself dressed, Andy has time to think things through. Not that it’s a difficult decision. He already knows what he’s going to do.

He won’t tell Eddie. He’ll have to come up with a way to avoid ever saying his name, because there is no way that Andy is going to make Eddie feel tied to him in any way. Not that Andy wouldn’t love to be with the other man – even thinking about it sends his nerves fluttering with excitement – but they’re in the middle of a war and Eddie doesn’t need to be distracted. Eddie deserves much better than him, too, deserves someone that isn’t clinging to the last threads of survival every damn day in this hellhole.

He has a plan now, and Andy will do everything in his power to stick to it.

☆♡☆

“Thought you might need that.” Andy says, handing Eddie a helmet to replace the one he lost somewhere during the commotion of the airfield earlier that day. They hold eye contact for a brief moment, though to Andy it seems to last a lifetime, before Eddie takes the helmet from his hands with a small nod and a quirk of his lips. Andy finds himself returning the smile.

“Thank you, sir.” Eddie finally replies, his voice low like Andy's to avoid waking any men that are managing to get some much needed rest. Somehow, whenever Eddie speaks it soothes Andy instantly. The tension and nerves of the day’s events melt away and all he focuses on is the man stood in front of him, tired but still smiling – even if it’s just to keep moral high.

Walking off before he can say anything stupid, he leaves Eddie talking to young Sledge who had been pretty shaken up on the airfield. Andy would need to keep an eye on him; he didn’t fancy losing any men from negligence. Sledge was a skilled marine, albeit not with much experience, but that would soon change. The marines, K Company, needs more men like him.

Andy doesn’t make it far before he’s being pulled away from the crowded floor of dozing men and into an alleyway of sorts between two crumbling buildings. His heart jumped at the lack of warning, mind immediately switching to defence mode when he briefly thinks it could be a Jap tackling him. But once rationality kicks in he calms himself, instead trying to allow his eyes to adjust to the slightly darker surroundings he’s suddenly in. 

Once his vision clears, Andy is met with Eddie's face, cautious and worried and _oh so close to his own_. There are hands pressed to his chest, pinning him to the stone wall behind him. Andy instinctively leans into the touch, back arching just a slight bit upwards that it’s barely even noticeable. The heat from Eddie’s body is intoxicating. And it’s not like Andy hasn’t been this close to the lieutenant before – they’ve probably been much closer, actually – but this is a whole different situation, under completely different circumstances. It changes everything.

Eddie has yet to speak, eyes searching all over Andy's face and raising an eyebrow when Andy subconsciously swipes his tongue over his bottom lip. Something shifts between them. 

“I’m sorry,’ is all Eddie says before pressing his body flush against Andy’s and kissing him. Andy kisses back like it’s the last thing he'll ever do – desperate and needy. For a moment, he worries that it was too much, too soon, but Eddie responds with a breathless moan against his mouth and that’s all it takes for Andy to completely give in to the want and desire that he’s kept pent up all these months. Hands coming to rest on Eddie's waist, he smiles into the kiss as Eddie's own hands move from the wall beside Andy’s head to cup his face, dirt and gravel rubbing over his cheek. 

When their lips eventually part, Andy isn’t quite able to process everything yet. One of his hands comes to rest on the side of Eddie's face – skin tainted with dried mud and sweat – his thumb caressing a healing scar just above his cheekbone. He can feel Eddie’s eyes watching him, face tilting to lean into the touch and a flicker of a smile can be seen. 

“ _Eddie..._ ” Andy finds himself whispering, voice gravelly, “Eddie.” 

Hardly aware of his own words, Andy watches as a spark lights up in Eddie’s eyes. Before he knows it, Eddie is full-on grinning like a little kid on Christmas morning, sinking impossibly closer to Andy. A particularly sharp stone digs into his spine but he has no inclination to move, to break this peaceful moment.

“I knew it.” Eddie speaks, quiet whisper cutting violently through the silence they’d surrounded themselves in. The other man dips his head to just the right angle that allows their foreheads to meet, giving Andy a perfect view of his glistening eyes that dance with a soft glow under the moonlight. Eddie seems happier, more relaxed, than Andy thinks he’s ever seen him. “’scuse my language, sir, but you’re a fuckin’ idiot."

Andy blinks in confusion, “What?” as he speaks his nose bumps against Eddie’s. “What do you-”

“You said my _name_.” 

_Fuck, he did, didn’t he? How did he not realise? So careless. What an idiot!_

It explains the blissful smile taking over Eddie’s face, at least. Andy can only remember that feeling of finding his soulmate too well, he never forgot it. In fact, he’s sure he still gets remnants of the sensation every damn time Eddie mutters his name. It’s bizarre, unlike anything he’d ever anticipated, and he realises now that he’d been denying Eddie this feeling for so long. Selfish, really. 

“Why'd you kiss me?” Andy asks and, really, it's not what he expected to come out of his mouth. 

Eddie seems to have been prepared for the question, however. Leaning back just enough to fully take in Andy's expression, Eddie smiles shyly. “I had my suspicions. Y'never say my name, don’t act like it wasn’t obvious. Christ, I swear you called me everything _but_ my name! Figured you were one of those types that didn’t wanna find out. But then I heard you calling the boys their names and it clicked.” Eddie explained, stroking a thumb over Andy's face and tucking a particular longer strand of his hair behind his ear. “Remembered how you got on Melbourne, pieced it all together. Figured I should just take my chances and find out for myself though.”

Andy laughed, breathy and light-hearted. He couldn’t resist arching up to capture Eddie’s lips in a sweet kiss.

“I’m glad you did, Eddie.” He mumbled into the other's mouth, causing Eddie to smile again.

“Why'd you do it?”

Andy shook his head, pulling away to look down at their feet. “Didn't want you thinking you owed me anything. You deserve better, anyway. Thought, by time we make it out of here, I might manage to keep it a secret.”

Eddie scoffed, but it held no heat behind it. Fingers coming to rest under his chin, thumb running over his lower lip, Andy felt his head be lifted until he was looking back into Eddie’s eyes once again. “That’s not a decision for you to make.” Eddie spoke softly, “Not on your own.”

Andy sighed, “Eddie, I’m sorry...”

“It’s alright, doesn’t matter now.” Eddie reassured, brushing their lips together. It wasn’t a kiss, more an act of tenderness to re-establish his presence. “I’m here now.”

“You always were.”

“Yeah, but now I’m here _forever_.” Eddie stressed, vanquishing any doubts Andy could possibly have about what Eddie wanted out of this, about what Eddie was thinking and feeling in this moment. All of that was washed away for good as Eddie brought their lips together. The kiss may not have lasted long, short and sweet but speaking volumes. It didn’t matter, none of it; their lips felt right pressed together.

**Author's Note:**

> The amount of fluff I aim to add to this fandom is endless. I really enjoyed writing this one so I hope y'all liked it too!! Please let me know what you thought, it'd be greatly appreciated :)
> 
> If you have any ideas for future fics (part of this AU or not) feel free to send me them! My Tumblr is 'a-beautiful-struggle-of-life' if you want to chat over there too!
> 
> Love you guys <3


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